At a Glance
Hours: Sunrise to sunset, year-round. Certain activities are permitted outside of the regular park hours (e.g. fishing, hunting where permitted). Please check with the park before your visit if you plan to be in the park before or after the posted hours.
Cost: Daily fee (honor box): $3/car for Maryland residents; $5/car nonresidents; annual state park passes and senior lifetime passes may be used.
Tips: Trails, especially those along Big Elk Creek, can be quite hilly, wet and muddy in the spring and early summer, so waterproof hiking boots are recommended. ■ Fair Hill NRMA is a major equestrian area and is popular among mountain bikers; horses and bikes will be encountered on trails. ■ Fair Hill hosts a number of large-scale equestrian events as well as the county fair and Scottish Games, bringing thousands of people into the area. Check the schedule of main events or call the NRMA office. ■ Fair Hill offers public hunting opportunities. Be aware of hunting seasons and plan your visit accordingly. ■ Portable restrooms are available at the Covered Bridge Parking Area, the Appleton Road parking lots, and the Fairgrounds.
Best Seasons: Year-round.
Breeding Bird Atlas Blocks: Newark West NW, Newark West NE, Newark West CW, Newark West CE, Newark West SW
Local MOS Chapter: Cecil Bird Club
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area
300 Tawes Drive, Elkton, Maryland 21921
Duty Ranger(7 am to sunset): (410) 218-1698
MD State Parks Emergency (24-hrs.) : (410)260-8888
With 5,642 acres and a wide variety of habitats, Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) is the crown jewel of birding in Cecil County. Half of all species found in Cecil County have been recorded here. Located in the northeast corner of Cecil County, bordering on Pennsylvania and less than a mile west of Delaware, Fair Hill offers expansive areas of grasslands, woodlands, freshwater ponds, wetlands, and streamside habitat along the Big Elk Creek and the headwaters of the Christina River. Those two waterways represent two different major watersheds, with the Big Elk Creek flowing into the Elk River, and from there to the Chesapeake Bay, while the Christina River flows east through Delaware to enter the Delaware Bay.
It’s not possible to bird all of Fair Hill in one day – but it’s well worth making multiple trips to explore all the different areas at Fair Hill. Each section has its own distinct character, habitats, and sets of birds, and of course there are seasonal changes in bird populations. Fair Hill may be at its best in spring, when songbirds are dripping from the trees and the streams and creeks are running high. Or perhaps it’s best in early summer, when the songs of Veeries, Wood Thrushes, and Scarlet Tanagers ring through the woods; Bobolinks, Grasshopper Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlarks, and Red-winged Blackbirds are bouncing through the grasslands; and Willow Flycatchers and Brown Thrashers are singing from the hedgerows and brushy areas. Fall brings migrating raptors kettling overhead, while winter features sparrows and wrens tucked into every sheltered corner.
Fair Hill is the former estate of William du Pont Jr., who bought up smaller farms during the 1930s and put them together to form a place to breed horses and cattle and to engage in one of his favorite sports, fox-chasing. The State of Maryland acquired the property in the 1970s from the heirs of Mr. du Pont and manages Fair Hill as part of the State Park System. Fair Hill is now a busy place, popular with visitors, but still retains its agricultural character. The property is dotted throughout with old farmsteads and ruins of historic farmhouses, barns, and mills. Taking a walk here is like going back in time to the days when open countryside was the norm. The size of Fair Hill is almost unimaginable for this part of the state, and it is rare indeed to find such a large area of relatively natural habitat.
Thanks to Mr. du Pont, Fair Hill possesses a remarkable infrastructure of roads, bridges, and tunnels that carry foot-trails and internal roads over and under public roadways, ensuring safe passage for hikers, horseback riders, and wildlife. More than 80 miles of trails at Fair Hill and an extensive internal road system enable birders to reach all the different habitats. There are multiple parking areas and trail heads throughout Fair Hill NRMA; see the driving directions below as well as our parking areas map.
The most popular set of trails for birding are accessed from Parking Lot #2 adjacent to the Covered Bridge and the Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center, where the trails wind through the stream valley of the Big Elk Creek and up rolling hills covered with forests and fields.
A unique aspect of Fair Hill is that is that falconers are permitted to fly their birds here, and to take live game (squirrels and rabbits) during designated hunting seasons. There are special areas in Fair Hill where the falconers may hunt. If you’re visiting during falconry season, you might witness some of the hunting.
When exploring Fair Hill, be sure to have a trail map and compass or GPS with you, as the trails are numerous and can be confusing. Fair Hill is just large enough to inconveniently misplace yourself if you are not alert to your whereabouts. Trail maps can be downloaded from the links at left, or you can pick one up at the Fair Hill NRMA office, open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm.
The trail map provided by the DNR office might be a little overwhelming for the first-time visitor, because it shows topographic elevation lines and the trails do not necessarily stand out against that background. Instead, consider using the Carriage Trails map produced by volunteers who are enthusiasts of the sport of driving horse-drawn carriages, especially if you’re looking for an easy walk on wide paths. Fail Hill is one of the best places in the United States for carriage driving, and the wide gravel two-track trails used by the carriages also offer benefits to the birder, as they are generally obvious and easy to follow.
In addition to the carriage trails, Fair Hill has an extensive system of smaller natural surface trails that are popular with mountain bikers. Indeed, the Trail Spinners , a not-for-profit mountain biking club, has done much to maintain and mark the trails at Fair Hill. This club produced one of the maps in the Alternate Trail Map pack at link at left, and that map is probably the best one available if you want to start exploring the smaller trails at Fair Hill. Be aware that some of the small trails may be steep and/or muddy, and have rough footing such as rocks and tree roots. A hiking stick might be useful.
In terms of maps, consider navigating Fair Hill’s trails using a free, third-party interactive GPS mapping app such as AllTrails, the Hiking Project, or the Mountain Biking Project. Any of these apps can be downloaded to your smart phone and the app will show your exact location on the built-in trail map, with a dot that moves along with you. It is impossible to get lost when using a GPS app.
Another way to learn the trail system at Fair Hill is to join the Cecil Bird Club for a guided bird walk. The club hosts walks at Fair Hill on a regular basis. Check the “Field Trips” section under the Cecil Bird Club listing on the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS) website, or check the MOS Calendar.
Hiking, dog-walking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, mountain biking, and picnicking are other popular activities at Fair Hill. A section off Route 273 holds the county fairgrounds and a Thoroughbred race horse training center. Fair Hill often hosts large equestrian competitions and other public events, but is large enough that you can usually avoid any hubbub. Just check the DNR website for the events schedule before you visit.
To the north over the state line, Fair Hill adjoins Pennsylvania’s Big Elk Creek State Park, the former estate of George Strawbridge, Jr. See Big Elk Creek SP Trail Map here. Often referred to by locals as the “Strawbridge property,” this 1,800-acre park has much the same habitat as Fair Hill, and there are connecting trails between the two properties, so it is possible to bird continuously between the two states. The connecting trails are unfortunately not depicted on the official trail maps for either property; however, trails that cross the state line along the Big Elk Creek can be visualized on Open Street Map.
Birdlife:
A total of over 174 species have been reported at the eight eBird hotspots for Fair Hill NRMA.
- Fair Hill NRMA overall – 157+ species
- Fair Hill NRMA–between Fairgrounds and Gallaher Rd. – 61+ species (this is an under-birded section and undoubtedly holds far more species)
- Fair Hill NRMA–Big Elk Chapel Carriage Course Area – 76+ species (another under-birded area)
- Fair Hill NRMA–Covered Bridge and Nature Center area – 144+ species
- Fair Hill NRMA–Gramies Run Loop Trail (located in the southwest corner of the property – 81+ species (another under-birded area)
- Fair Hill NRMA–N. Appleton Rd. parking lot – 137+ species
- Fair Hill NRMA–Northeast Tract – 95+ species (this is the Little Egypt section, in the Christina Creek/Delaware Bay Watershed)
- Fair Hill NRMA–South area – 136+ species
Some of the bird species at Fair Hill may exhibit high population density, supported by the large expanses of habitat.
Spring migration brings flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, warblers, tanagers and orioles to the woodlands of Fair Hill. Green Herons, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Spotted Sandpipers, Solitary Sandpipers, and waterthrushes can be found along Big Elk Creek and the Christina River in the Little Egypt section of Fair Hill (east of Appleton Road).
In late spring and early summer, expansive hayfields hold nesting Grasshopper Sparrows, Field Sparrows, Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, and Red-winged Blackbirds. The hay here is grown for sale to mushroom farmers in nearby Kennett Square, PA, and is a cash crop that underwrites operations and maintenance at Fair Hill. By agreement with the Cecil Bird Club, each year the state delays mowing in some of these fields to promote nesting success of the grassland birds.
Regular summer breeders include Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos; Eastern Wood-Pewee; Eastern Phoebe; Eastern Kingbird; Acadian and Willow Flycatchers; White-eyed, Yellow-throated, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos; Wood Thrush; Veery; Brown Thrasher; Yellow Warbler; Ovenbird; Kentucky Warbler; Louisiana Waterthrush; Common Yellowthroat; American Redstart; Scarlet Tanager; both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles; Blue Grosbeak; and Indigo Bunting.
Fall migration again has flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, warblers, tanagers and orioles passing through Fair Hill NRMA.
Winter at Fair Hill features Chipping, Fox, White-throated and other sparrows as well as overwintering mimids, Hermit Thrushes, and accipiters. A large roost of both Black and Turkey Vultures is present year-round, although the exact location varies from year to year.
Wheelchair Access:
The natural surface trails at Fair Hill are not wheelchair accessible. However, for those who are mobility-impaired, Fair Hill offer excellent birding from a car by slowly driving (windows down) west on Black Bridge Road from Appleton Road to the Covered Bridge, and then continuing west on Tawes Drive to the Race Horse Training Center, turning south onto Training Center Drive to exit Fair Hill onto MD Route 273. There is also good birding at all the parking areas scattered through Fair Hill. Portable restrooms at the parking areas are wheelchair accessible. At Parking Lot #2 at the Covered Bridge Area, the four spaces closest to the bridge are reserved for handicapped parking; these spaces are on asphalt paving.
Pet Policy:
Pets on a leash are allowed; you must pick up after your pet. Do not allow dogs to bark or nip at horses or bicyclists.
Special Designations:
The Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center is a certified Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) Green Center.
Special Features:
- The Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center, located near the Covered Bridge, offers educational programs for children and families. The Nature Center is a private non-profit organization that work in partnership with MD DNR and the Cecil County public schools.
- Fair Hill hosts the annual Cecil County Fair, and is also the site of a Thoroughbred race track used once a year for steeplechase races that raise money for Union Hospital in Elkton. Fair Hill hosts other international-caliber equestrian events throughout the year.
- The infrastructure at the fairgrounds and race course include several buildings that can be rented for private parties or public meetings.
- The Fair Hill Training Center is a separate full-time Thoroughbred training center, with its own track.
- A popular event at Fair Hill is the annual Scottish Highland Games.
Local MOS Chapter:
The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Cecil Bird Club, which offers field trips that are free and open to the public.
Parking:
Gravel parking areas, and some paved lots, are available throughout Fair Hill NRMA. See our parking areas map as well as Directions below.
Directions:
Fair Hill NRMA is located in the northeastern corner of Cecil County and, as shown on our parking areas map, is reached via three state roads:
- MD Route 316/Appleton Road, which runs north-south along the eastern edge of the main section of Fair Hill, and separates the main section from the Little Egypt section to the east. Appleton Road is a convenient way to reach the Fair Hill Nature Center and other good birding areas.
- MD Route 273/Telegraph Road, which runs east-west through the heart of Fair Hill, separating the main section of Fair Hill into an area north of Rote 273 vs. an area south of Route 273. The fairgrounds, racetrack, and race horse training center are easily accessed from Route 273.
- MD Route 213/Singerly Road (aka Lewisville Road) runs north-south along the western edge of the main tract of Fair Hill.
In additi0n, two local roads run through part of Fair Hill south of Route 273 and west of Big Elk Creek:
- Gallaher Road runs south from Route 273 through the Fair Hill property.
- Big Elk Chapel Road goes east from Route 213/Singerly Road to end at a T-intersection with Galleher Road; this intersection is known as the Big Elk Chapel Area, for a historic church that stands at the intersection. The Big Elk Chapel Area can be used as the start of productive bird walks in several directions.
The area near the Covered Bridge on Black Bridge Road (one of the internal roads at Fair Hill) is the most popular area for birding.
- To reach Parking Lot #2 (actually a cluster of three lots) at the Covered Bridge area: From I-95, take Exit 109 for Route 279 south and go just under 400 yards to the first traffic light, at Belle Hill Road. Turn right to go southwest on Belle Hill Road for a half-mile, passing through a commercial area with fast-food restaurants, a motel, and a truck stop. Belle Hill Road will come to a T-intersection at MD Route 316; turn right to go north on Appleton Road (Route 316) and drive approximately 4.5 miles to a traffic circle at the intersection with MD Route 273. Proceed half-way around the traffic circle and continue north on MD Route 316/Appleton Road for another 1.2 miles to Black Bridge Road, one of the entrances to Fair Hill. Turn left onto Black Bridge Road. You will see that you are turning into a gravel parking area, known as Parking Lot #3 (aka North Appleton Lot), but this is not your destination. Continue through the lot to the paved Black Bridge Road straight ahead of you, and continue in your car west on Black Bridge Road for about 1.1 miles to the intersection with Tawes Drive and the Foxcatcher Farm Covered Bridge. The birdie will be on your left. Use the small parking lot on the right, across from the Covered Bridge for birding the trails on both sides of Big Elk Creek, or if that lot is full, continue west a short distance on Tawes Drive, past the stone building housing the Fair Hill Nature Center on the left, to a much larger paved parking area on the right. Consult your trail map for trail head locations. The set of four spaces closest to the Covered Bridge are set aside for handicapped use.
Additional parking lots throughout Fair Hill NRMA allow access to other areas; see our parking areas map and use the following directions. The street addresses are included for GPS navigation, and all are located in Elkton, Maryland.
- Parking Lot #1 (4646 Telegraph Road): Follow the directions above starting at I-95. When you reach the traffic circle at the intersection of MD Route 273 and MD Route 316/Appleton Road, head west on MD Route 273 for 2.5 miles. The entrance for Parking Lot #1 will be on your right (north side of the road) directly across from the fairgrounds and Entrance Road #2. From here, a rich set of foot-trails lies to the northeast, and another set to the southeast.
- Parking Lot #3 (2941 Appleton Road, also known as the North Appleton Parking Lot). Follow the directions above for Parking Lot #2 at the Covered Bridge. When you turn left into Black Bridge Road, Parking Lot # 3 is right there at the entrance; it is gravel and usually has a few horse-trailers. This parking lot is handy for birding the large grasslands visible in all directions. If you go across Appleton Road, you’ll reach a set of foot-trails through the Little Egypt section of Fair Hill, surrounding the Christina (aka Christiana) River. This section is extremely hilly but very rewarding.
- Parking Lot #4 (491 Gallaher Road): Also known as the Gallaher Road Parking Lot or the Big Elk Chapel Area. Follow the directions above from I-95. When you reach the traffic circle at the intersection of MD Route 273 and MD Route 316/Appleton Road, drive west on Route 273 for 1.5 miles to the intersection with Gallaher Road. Turn left to go south on Gallaher Road and proceed to the Gallaher Road/Big Elk Chapel intersection in 0.7 miles. The parking lot will be located on your right at the southwest corner of the intersection. Trails from here fan out in all directions, with one productive set starting across Gallaher Road to the east (by the Big Elk Chapel). There is also a trail that goes southwest from the parking area into the Gramies Run watershed; be aware that the loop trail takes you to some stream crossings with no bridges. Another set of trails can be reached by walking west on Big Elk Chapel Road for about 600 feet and then walking through a gate on the north side of the road.
- Parking Lot #5 (2000 Appleton Road): Also known as the South Appleton Parking Lot. Follow the directions above from I-95, but you will not be going as far as the traffic circle at the intersection of MD Route 273 and MD Route 316/Appleton Road. Instead, from the intersection of Belle Hill Road and Appleton Road, drive 3.9 miles north on Appleton Road and turn into the parking area on the left (west) side of the road, at the edge of a field. After parking, follow the lane through a hedgerow and gate in a tall fence to reach the trails. The trails here wind through the stream valley on the east side of Big Elk Creek.
- To reach the Fair Hill NRMA Office: Follow the directions above from I-95, and when you reach the traffic circle at the intersection of MD Route 273 and MD Route 316/Appleton Road, travel west on Route 273 for 2.3 miles to Entrance Road #3. Turn left (south) and make another immediate left to go east on Ranger Skinner Drive for just 400 feet. Turn left to go north on Kennel/Training Center Road, which will take you on a bridge over MD Route 273. Travel one-half mile north and turn right on Tawes Drive. The Fair Hill office is located on the right near the corner of Tawes Drive and Training Center Road. A small parking area is available next to the office. You can pick up a trail map here as well as ask questions about event schedules and trail conditions.
Nearby Sites:
Cecil County: Bethel Managed Hunting Area ■ Bohemia River State Park ■ Courthouse Point Managed Hunting Area ■ Elk Neck State Forest ■ Elk Neck State Park – Turkey Point ■ Elk River Park & Elkton Marsh ■ Elkton – Meadow Park, Eder Park, Hatchery Park, & Howard’s Pond ■ Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area ■ Funk’s Pond Recreation Area & Old Conowingo Area ■ North East Community Park ■ Octoraro Creek Trail at Conowingo Park ■ Perryville Community Park ■ Port Deposit & Susquehanna River Road Driving Tour ■ Woodlawn Wildlife Area / New Beginnings
Habitats:
Bottomland Deciduous ForestsConifersHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Lawn, Ballfields, Golf CourseStormwater Retention Pond Agricultural Crop Fields or Fallow FieldsHay Meadows, Pasture, Grass FieldOld Fields, Shrubby Meadows Forested SwampFreshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or ReservoirMud Flats (Tidal or Non-Tidal)Rivers & Streams
Features:
BeginnersBicycle Trails (Bikes may be prohibited on some trails)Bird Feeding StationBirding By CarEntry Fee (Daily, All Year)FishingHiking/Walking TrailsHorseback RidingHuntingNative Plant Garden or Meadow/Pollinator PlantsNature Education ProgramsParkingPets AllowedPicnic AreaRestroomsWater ViewYoung People / FamiliesType:
Driving Tour (Roadside Birding)Hunting AreasMAEOE Green CenterNature CentersState Parks